were tolerated sayth he whilest they liued yet being dead their bookes are eyther purged that is altered or els reproued And in his marâ—gent he nameth Arias Montanus Sixtus Senensis and Oleaster to be the men This is so strang an vntruth that to any learned man that hath perused these Authors he may seeme to speake in a dreame For who doth not know that is learned that these Authors both in their life and since they death are highly esteemed in our Church as may appeare by (a) in bibliotheca sancta Posseuinus his censure of them which the Bachelour saith ought to be accoumpted the censure of our (b) p. 67. Church And did these Authors stand out against this Canon of the Councell euen vnto death Nay did they not highly esteem prayse and commend this decree Let Sixtus Senensis who stands in the midst speake for the other two which he doth in the eight booke of his Bibliotheca sancta in the refutation of the thirteenth heresy which reiecteth the authority of the vulgar Translation where he doth coÌ„fute the Protestant Paradoxe of still reforming the translations vnto the originalls which were saith he to raise an eternall tumult and discord in the Church and neuer make an end of translating a new the Scriptures nor of correcting altering and censuring former translations (c) Vide SixtuÌ„ Senens l. 8. Biblioth sanct haeres 13. pag. 1051. Edit Venet. Proinde saith he hâ—â— animaduertens Sacrosancta Tridentina Synodus rectè c. VVherfoâ—â— the holy Councell of Trent perceyuing this to wit the necessity of oneâ— translation in Gods Church hath vpon good reason ordayned that of all Latin Editions which are extant only the old and vulgar be authenticall c. which Decree was made with great cause not only because thâ—â— Edition hath bene approued in the Church by the continuance of so many yeares but also for that not any of the more recent translations is eyther more certaine or more secure or more exact or more faithfull them this 19. Thus writeth this Author and in that place proueth largely not hauing any sillable that may sound of the least dislike of this Canon but doth learnedly grauely anâ— sharply condemne Protestants for resisting the same Noâ— what shall we say of M. Crashaw that brings him in following a contrary course and standing out euen vnto death against thâ— doctrine of this Canon and curses of the Councell What trick or policy is it in this Minister to vtter such grosse falshoods and in his fellowes to allow them to be printed to iustifie the State Verily I know not what their policy may be heerin except they meane to amaze vs with their impudency and put vs out of hart euer to conquer their malice by shewing them the truth or that euer their mouths will close vp from rayling at vs for want of matter seeing they can create the same of nothing and find whatsoeuer they fancy against vs euen in those Authors where the contrary is both plainly earnestly taught their policy I say may be to thinke to discourage vs from answering their slauÌ„ders discouering their false tricks seeing that therin we do but wash bricks or Black-Moores that will not be white But let them know that they deceaue themselues we being resolued to follow S. (d) Vtamur igitur haereticis non vt eoruÌ„ approbemê° errores sed CatholicaÌ„ fidem aduersus eorum insidias asserentes vigilaÌ„tiores simus etiaÌ„ si eos ad saluteÌ„ reuocare noÌ„ possumus Aug. de vera relig c. 8. Augustines counsell to make vse of Heretikes Not saith he to approue their errours but that by defending the Catholike doctrine against their deceipts we may be more vigilant and wary our selues though we shall not be able to reclayme them from their damnable â—ourse And yet we cannot but expect that this dung of M. Crashawes falshood that he hath layd vpon the soyle of our Countrey consumed by the force of truth will make many the more apt and disposed to bring forth the corne of Catholike faith which we seeke by these labours to sow in their soules For as S. (e) Haec est verè dementia noÌ„ cogitare nec seÌ„tire quòd mendacia noÌ„ diu fallant nocteÌ„ taÌ„ diu esse donec illucescat dies clarificato auteÌ„ die soâ—e oborto luci tenebras caliginem cedere l. 1. ep 3. ad Cornel. Cyprian saith it is meere madnesse in Heretikes not to thinke or consider that lyes do not long â—yme deceyue that night doth continue no longer then till â—he breake of day and that the day being cleare and the â—unne rysen the darknes doth yield vnto the light 20. And thus much of the Protestant salues which the Bachelour hath with no more vehemency then vanity praysed and of his cauills and slaunders against Councells the salues to heale the wounds of errour and discord which the Church of God in all ages hath vsed which not onely â—aith but euen naturall reason not only the word of God â—ut also common sense must needs moue any discreet man that seriously and really desireth to be saued to prefer before the new conceipts of any humourizing Paracelsian that doth brag of his knowledg in spirituall phisick and â—nderstanding of Scripture aboue Fathers and Councells of former ages The end of the first Part. THE SECOND PART of this TREATISE THE FIRST CHAPTER CONCERNING the Errours and Blasphemies tearmed by him Woundes which the Bachelour doth falsly and slaunderously impute vnto the Roman Church NOvv we enter into the confession of M. Crashawes Babells we come to cleanse the Augaean stable of his Sermon M. Crashawes drift in his 20. wouÌ„ds deuided into twenty different roomes of slaunders the drift of which discourse is to make some principall points of Catholike doctrine which heretickes euer haue most hated as are the Primacy of the Roman Bishop the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin the Authority of Gods Church to decide doubtes about Scriptures the vse of holy Images directing prayers before them vnto Christ and such like Pillars of Christian piety seeme horrible blasphemyes accusing vs to teach what in truth we detest and to hould what we abhorre to wit that the Pope is God the Virgin Mary aboue God the Popes Decretalls of more credit then Scriptures that Images are to be prayed vnto worshipped as God And not to seeme to rayle altogeather without reason to make some little shew of proofe he citeth the most harsh and inconuenient sayings that haue escaped the pen of any Catholike writer in search wherof he hath spent as he doth confesse the (a) In his Epistle to the Lord Treasurer course of his studyes which he vrgeth not as the inconuenient or inconsiderate speaches of priâ—â— Authors but as generally receaued doctrines of our Church These are the woundes he chargeth the Roman Church withall these the graue and substantiall proofes of so grieuous and horrible slaunders this
and from them redound vnto their Church For this their publishing of the Sermon to be a patterne of their truth and modesty to shew that our complaints against them are vniust and without cause was as much as to say vnto the Church of Rome ab vno disce omnes by this one Minister learne all the rest see how sincere in accusing modest in reprehending solide in reprouing your errours iudicious in producing diligent in perusing faithfull in quoting your Authors we are finally how far from any lying and rayling which you falsely lay to our charge By which also you may see that the credit of the Church of England lyeth vpon M. Crashawes head which must needs be crackt in peeces if in this very Sermō which they made publike to iustify themselues we find rayling and lying in very exorbitant or rather impudent manner 11. As for his recrimination that it is a trick in Popery to set vp men with authority to rayle and lye the proofes he bringeth are so poore that they will rather serue to discouer his fraud and falshood and make his impudency more apparent compared with the sincerity of our proceeding See his Epistle to the Earle of Salisbury For wheras we charge him with many hundred of manifest and vnexcusable slaūders vttered in this one Sermon he that hath spent the whole course of his studies to peruse our Records could bring but three examples and those neither to the purpose nor true Nay therin he doth shew his owne false dealing as will appeare by the examination of them as they are set downe in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Princes Highnesse A Booke saith he was printed in the English Colledge at Rome wherin it is affirmed that we take Catholikes and draw vpon their legs bootes full of hoat boyling liquour and vpon their feet hoat burning shoes do put them into Beares skins and cast them to the dogs to be pulled in peeces All this and many such other set down in pictures But first it is false that any such book was printed in the English Colledge in which since the first erectiō therof neuer any book was printed Some things indeed are painted vpon the walls of their Church which booke perchance the Bachelour meaneth so that insteed of Preachers set vp in pulpit he accuseth Painters hyred to make pictures vpon walls which is great folly seing all graunt vnto them (b) Pictoribus atque Poetis quidlibet audendi sēper fuit aequa potestas Horat. licence to deuise and faigne without charge of falsehood And if a Catholike painter to expresse how Priests in England are traduced as Traytors how disguised with the vgly terms of enemies of the State they are made hateful did paint thē in the forme of a man in a Beares skin no lesse meeke and innocent within then dreadfull and horrible without if to represent the fury and violence of Purseuants in hunting after seeking out and abusing these men he did expresse thē vnder the shape of bloud-hounds or mastiues truely I see no reason why this may not be aswell excused as their ordinary painting the Pope in the shape of vgly Monsters and Iohn Fox his filling his lying Acts Monuments with such Pageants and ridiculous deuises to fright fooles wherof he was Father Secondly I say that these things are not our deuises or inuentions but true storyes that at Louth in Lincolneshire a Catholike was put into a beares skinne torne in peeces by doggs in King Henry the 8. his dayes whether by publick authority or popular fury it is not certayne which answere was made long since to Syr (c) See the warn-word to Syr F.H. watch-word 2. encount c. 2. pag. 6. Frauncis Hastings and not yet refuted As touching bootes of boyling liquour a venerable Byshop of Ireland had bootes annoynted with oyle put on his leggs and set to the fire was put to cruell torture So that they accuse vs of speaking fables when we doe but rehearse their furyes and belying vs to feygne what their cruelty forced vs to feele 12. The second instance or charge is more vayne and false then the first Feuardant a famous fryar sayth he wrote in latyn seauen yeares agoe that we reuile and reiect that prayer to the holy Trinity Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis what will not he say that dare say this Thus he But indeed the Bachelour doth abuse that famous and learned Fryar who doth only say that the errour against the inuocation of the Blessed Trinity was (d) Feuardant in 1. Petri. c. 1. fol. 140. edit Paris 1600. restored by Caluinists in France Flanders and England who cauill at and reiect the former prayer Where you see he doth not charge with that errour all heretikes or Protestants in those Countryes but Caluinists only nor all Caluinists neyther but some to wit such as are of the purer strayne that mislike all words in prayer that are not found in Scripture and follow Caluin exactly in all points who doth wish buried in obliuion the name of Trinity and such like as (e) Feuardant vbi supra pag. 36. Feuardant proueth Wherefore I would demaund of M. Crashaw when he saith Feuardant doth write that we reiect the prayer c. whom doth he meane by that we We State Protestants or We Puritans for I think his conscience is not so stiffe vnto one but it may extend to the other If Protestants Feuardant doth not charge them If Puritans the Bachelour doth vainly seeke to iustify them by the booke of Common Prayer which they are knowne to hate and detest So that this trick of setting vp lyers commeth to fall vpon his owne head 13. In the third charge of falsehood which is against Gretzerus his narration concerning Father Garnet and Ouen his man he doth neither cite the words nor quote the place nor name the booke and at most it is but an Historicall vntruth wherunto men are subiect as Iohn Fox was in his Calendar of Martyrs who reporteth of some that were (f) Iohn Marbecke the singer of windesore and diuers others Acts and mon. 115. burnt into ashes vnder Queene Mary which liued and drunke merrily in tauernes many a faire day after Queene Elizabeth her cōming to the Crowne But our Controuersie is about wilfull and malicious falsehood which the Authour could not but know to be such when he wrote or spake it wherof we accuse M. Crashaw and his Church Neither haue they cause to wonder though strangers doe not giue great credit vnto their publike Acts and Records against Priests and Iesuits against whom the State professeth emnity which may giue cause to feare and suspect partiall (g) Professae inimicitiae suspitionē habent mendacij Hieron dealing specially when the persons condemned are well knowne vnto strangers and their learning and sanctity highly esteemed But this Minister that doth so declayme against the contradictors of their publick Records concerning the Powder-treason
or small constancy in so soone changing 20. But seeing this Queene is now gathered vnto her Father I cannot say Fathers seeing not one of her noble Ancestors besides him were of her faith nor he but in part I will say no more only to her I dare oppose two Catholike Queenes of the same age much more worthy of eternall memory for their constant zeale to the truth two Maryes who chose indeed the best part the one of England the other of Scotland The first was constantly zealous to her religion not only in the dayes of her raigne when Puritans neither by their brags nor treasons nor bloudy bookes froÌ„ Geneua especially those of that Minister whose deeds made him vnworthy of his (k) Goodman name could cause her once to feare theâ— but before also in the dayes of her brother when Protestant ruled and ouerswayed all ventured her Princely life many tymes by the constant practise and profession of her Religion in their sight 21. The second no lesse zealous then the former stood most constantly in the truth euen vnto the death washing her Princely robes in the bloud of the lambe where Protestant Bishops and Ministers fearing to be sent againe as in the dayes of the former Mary into Iury to sing songs of Sion and not be permitted to chaunt Geneua Psalmes on English land had this Catholike Princesse come to the Crowne inciting the Queene in Court the people in pulpit with bloudy slaunders against her made a lamentable proofe what a (l) The executioners name Bull against an annoynted Princesse they can indite when they feare though but a farre off that in tyme they may come to touch their free-hold such a Bull as all their clamours can â—euer proue to haue euer come from Rome Of the bloudines â—f which fact and constancy worthy of eternall memory â—f the Princesse that the Reader may more detest the one â—nd admire the other I will here set downe a few verses of â—hat subiect taken out of an excellent Poeme to requite by â—he way the liberality of M. Crashaw who bestoweth some â—able verses vpon the Lateran Sea Ecce Caledonij commissa piacula Regni Infandumque nefas en Regia colla securis Et (m) Q. Dowager of France and Q. of Scotland geminum diadema ferit quo nulla vetustas Funere maius habet seris nec proseret annis Posteritas magnique necem mirabitur instar Prodigij Regina tuam sed gloria maior Quo tibiculpa minor tantoque celebrius orbe Nomen erit quanto fidei constantia maior Dum iugulum petit intrepidum scelarata securis Quae tibi mens tum lictor erat cum verbere crudo Colla secas quae nec (n) Nolite tangere Christos meos Psal 104.15 manibus contingere fas est Si Marium post Teutonicos morsipsa triumphos Pauit attonito percussor constitit ore Tu Mariam vita priuas nec torpuit ictus Maiestate sacri capitis ferrúmue repressit Dextra nec Augustos acies defecit in artus Heu quantus Regina iacet ter maxima truncus Quae (o) Mother to our dread Soueraigne matres regumque nurus supereminet omnes And this may suffice to lay open to the eye of euery man the â—ntolerable vanity of this bragger of his Churches examples and professing religion in our sight 22. The fourth salue of wholsome lawes Now remayneth that I adde a word or two of the â—ourth sort of meanes or salues that M. Crashaw saith their Church hath applyed to our soares by which were we not â—ncurable we might be healed to wit wholesome lawes which saith he we haue deuised and enacted against their errours superstitions impietyes seditious courses sometymes in iustice executing â—hem sometymes in great mercy suspending them pag. 44. I cannot deny but â—hese haue beene strong salues which flesh and bloud could neuer so long tyme haue endured persisting constantly in the faith without speciall assistance from heauen salues that haue drawne not only goods and lands but also much noble bloud from diuers Catholikes who heires more vnto the vertue of their Ancestors then vnto their liuings haue chosen rather to part with the best bloud from their Noble Progenitors they receiued then from their faith and religion and the hope of eternall saluation and blissefull enioying their desired company euerlastingly in glory Some oâ— them I confesse may perchaunce haue byn executed in iustice that is permitted to hang till they were iust half dead SuspensioÌ„ in mercy no more nor lesse as the law requireth yet other haue bene executed short of iustice cut downe and buâ—cherly vnbowelled being full aliue though I willingly graunt that many also haue bene suspended with great mercy as a fellow cryed out at Oxford at the execution of a Priest Let him hang till he be dead for the Queene is mercifullâ— But how may these lawes be thought salues to heale ouâ— woundes First M. Crashaw graunteth that they were deâ—â—sed and enacted by themselues an euident signe that they Religion also for which these lawes are made was deuised and enacted by themselues otherwise Christian Princes Bishop in former ages would haue made lawes for it had they byâ— of it So that the very salue doth strongly sauour and theiâ— lawes clearly sound the nouelty of the religion that theâ— would force vs to imbrace as Ancient 23. Moreouer that the penall lawes in the late Queen tyme were executed vpon vs any wayes for conscience sake the grauest and greatest of their side doe constantly deny though the euidence of the truth wrung a confession of thâ— contrary from (q) In his Iesuites Ghospell he saith Priestes Iesuites in England dye for the Primary of the Roman Bishop som excepted that died for treasoÌ„ pag. 79. M. Crashaw which may seeme a wondeâ— in so great a Statist who did publish his Sermon to iustifie thâ— State much more then honour truth How can their penall laweâ— heale the wounds of our conscience vnto which they doâ— not apply them as plaisters not punishing vs they say for conscience sake Can the Maister iustly wonder if the Scholler amend not his fault when he will not tell him why he is beaten Catholiks are charged with fines cast into prisons put vnto shamefull deathes for their errours superstitions impieties as M. Crashaw saith yet they must not say nor so much as thinke that Religion is the cause This manner of â—uring vs or proceeding against vs may iustly strengthen â—nd confirme vs in our Religion seeing the maiesty therof â—o be such that euen those that do mortally hate it would â—ot be thought persecutors of it The very instinct of nature â—et downe in the law of Nations doth teach that it is cruelty â—o force any from the faith and beliefe of their ancestors wherin they haue continued time out of mind euen Iewes and Turkes cannot be drawne to be Christians by rigour of â—enall (r) C. Maiores
iustly punishable by Christian laws you may gather by the notable doctrine of S. Augustine worthy to be knowne of all and written in letters of gold Tâ—â— (*) Obscuriê° dixeruÌ„t Prophetae de Christo quà m de Ecclesia puto propterea quòd videbant in spiritu coÌ„tra EcclesiaÌ„ homines facturos esse particulas de Christo noÌ„ tantam litem habituros ideò illud vnde maiores lites futurae eraÌ„â— planiê° praedictuÌ„ est apertiê° prophetatum est in Psal â—0 conc 2. Prophets saith he spake more obscurely of Christ then of the Church the reason was because they foresaw in spirit that men would take partâ— and sactions against the Church making more strife about the Church then about Christ therfore of that concerning which the contentiâ—â— were to be greatest also the predictions are clearest to the iudgmeâ—â— and greater condemnation of them who saw her and fled from her Thâ—â— S. Augustine 27. Neither were these Christian Laws lately deuised enacted by vs against Protestants but by Christian Kings against reuolters from the Church of Rome long before Protestants were either borne or named or thought of as 〈◊〉 knowne yea some lawes which these Ministers and Maâ—tyrs transgressed and for which they were punished did dâ—serue death by the most ancient Imperiall lawes made neâ— vnto Constantine his tyme and yet extant in the Code to the eternall shame as that of entysing marrying Nunnes oâ— of Cloysters wherwith Luther made the Prologue vnto thâ— Comedy of his new Ghospell in which after him many 〈◊〉 lapsed Monkes and Fryers did not shame to appeare on thâ— stage in the eye of the world 28. In execution of which lawes we haue not soughâ— by the false imputation of Treasons conspiracyes against our Countrey to make them odious vnto the people 〈◊〉 which slanderous cup they haue forced vs to drinke in deeâ— measure to hide the more popular and plausible cause 〈◊〉 suffering for conscience and Religion from mens sight bâ—â— haue made them and the world vnderstand that the cauâ—â— of their punishment was their forsaking the faith of theâ—â— Ancestours their proud opposing of their priuate fancies iâ— the interpretation of Scripture against the iudgment of thâ— whole Church authority of Councells consent of Fathers â—ying before their eyes the vglinesse of such pride with forâ—ble reasons as might haue healed them had they not byn â—curably arrogant Whereupon we may iustly conclude â—at the Church of Rome hath reason to complaine against â—â—e Protestant VVe haue cured Babel but she is not healed that â—e may seeme to haue made a bargaine with death and a plot with â—ll THE THIRD CHAPTER VVHERIN is discouered M. Crashaws impious stage-playing in Pulpit bringing in a Babylonian to speake like a Catholike seeking to disgrace therby ancient Christianity and the glorious markes of the true Church taught by the ancient Fathers MAISTER Crashaw hauing spent all the best salues in his boxe or Church vpon the soares and woundes of the Roman being past faith and hope euer to cure her he wasteth also his charity vpon her in rating and reuiling her as incurable laying horrible errors blasphemyes to her charge wherin he bestoweth the rest of his Sermon The great labours of Protestant Ministers to heale vs. which he beginnes with a great groane Now alas saith he see the effect of our labour all is lost And is it not thinke you great pitty that these good men of God should loose so many labours to conuert vs so many weekes fasted in bread water so many dayes and nights spent in continuall prayer so many rough hayr-clothes worne next vnto their tender skin so many disciplynes done euen vnto bloud Might it not make a tough hart breake for sorrow to see such Bachelours take so many good and godly paynes going long iourneys from Shire to Shire from Towne to Towne from house to house to get to Virginia that is a fayre and rich Virgin to wife and all in vayne That their learned Ministers should goe in great companyes with manifest danger to be burnt vnto Rome to discouer the skirtes of the VVhore in a dreame of the night lying in their soft beds with their wiues vnder their armes insteed of Bibles and all to no purpose Now alas saith he see the effect of our labours all is lost for she is Babylon and therfore cannot be healed Some will say this is harsh and bitter but I say it is true and therefore not to be concealed Thus M. Crashaw 2. Now to make vs seeme incurable A peeuish practise of the Bachelour to deceaue ignorant people and like in religion to the ancient Babylonians he bringeth in his first part a Babylonian speaking like a Catholicke and reiecting the counsell of the Israëlits which though it will seeme fond to the learned yet it is malicious and peeuishly penned to deceaue the ignorant making him alleadge the same arguments for his Idolatry which we and the Fathers make notes and markes of the true Church seeking this occasion to open a vent to his secret malice against the ancieÌ„t Church of Christ couertly his face being hidden vnder a Babylonian maske deriding the Maiesty and glory thereof thinking his impiety would not be perceaued like vnto that sottish bird that hauing put her head into an hole thinkes her whole body vnseene which wee will set downe and briefly refute 3. The Isräelites saith he did what they could to cure Babel pag. 17 18. 19. but the Babylonians had their answer as ready as now haue the Papists Thinke you you silly Isräelites that you are able to teach Babylon a better religion then it hath Is not hers of so many and so many yeares continuance VVas it not the religion our forefathers lyued and dyed in And is it not generall and vniuersall ouer the world and yours but in a corner And is not ours visible and doth is not prosper and florish Is not your visible Temple now defaced your publicke dayly sacrifice ceased and your succession cut of And if you haue anything left is it not inuisible and in secret corners And what can you alleadg for your religion That you haue many learned men A fond discourse of a Babylonian penned by the Bachelour to disgrace the auncient Church of Christ Alas poore men for one learned Rabbin that you haue haue not we twenty Are not the Chaldeans the famoust learned men of the world renowned for their high wisdome their skill in Astrology interpretation of dreames and other the most secret and supernaturall sciences of the world And doe you thinke it possible that so many learned Doctours can be deceaued Nay all the world be in an errour and only you that hould a particuler faction and a singuler new found Religion by your selues haue the truth amongst you You will say you haue a succession from Noah haue not we so to c. Looke into the world at this day and see if any
saith doth increase and fructify in the world so that these men liuing and dying members of our Church the sinnes of whose Professors they did reprehend and yet hauing conscience grace feare of God which cannot be come by but in the true Church as M. Crashaw confesseth it is cleare that these witnesses coÌ„demne Protestants of impious and pernicious presumption as S. (e) Non veniat in cor nostruÌ„ impia perniciosa presuÌ„ptio qua existimemus nos ab his esse separandos vt peccatis eorum non inquinemur in Breuic collat tertij diei c. 4. circa med Augustine termeth running from the communion of the true Church not to be stayned with sinnes and abuses which were are and will euer be in any company of men though most holy liuing vpon earth 3. Among other witnesses of the bad life of Catholicks especially of the Court of Rome he bringeth Pope Adrian the sixt with many great praises that he was one of the honestest harts that euer had the hindrance to be a Pope the best that was these many yeares of whom if it be possible of any there was expectation of some reformation in the Church a good man too good to be Pope at least too good to be Pope long that after he had forgot himselfe pag. 160. 193. and the honour of his Apostolicall seat which cannot erre nor doe amisse as he like a foole confessed sorthwith order was taken that he should not trouble the world nor disgrace his place any longer for he soone dyed Where he would giue his Reader to vnderstand that the life of this Pope was by Catholicks abridged because he might seeme to affect the Protestant reformation Now the praises the Bachelour layeth on this Pope comming from such an aduersary of Popes no man may think other motiue did force him thereunto but truth as indeed this Pope was both pious wise and learned a Doctor and Reader in Louayne Maister afterward to Charles the fifth Emperour of famous memory and Gouernour of his Kingdomes in Spayne in his absence from whence he was called to the dignity of the Roman Sea But for his affection to the Protestant deformation it is so false that neuer any Pope did more abhorre neuer any more seuerely censure it neuer any more earnestly impugne Luther nor gaue cause of greater hope that by his diligence and industry that schisme faction might haue beene suppressed as any will perceyue that shall read Luthers (f) Tom. 2. operum Luther edit VVitteberg 1562. fol. 354. sequent ad 359. letters against this Pope or the letters of this Pope against him especially those to the Duke of (g) Habetur tom 4. Concil fol. 706. Saxony where among other thinges paynting out Luther in his owne colours thus he writteth and let the Bachelour marke the words of this Goodman for they doe no lesse concerne him then Luther Seeing it is written saith this Pope that raylers and reuilers shall not possesse the Kingdome of God and our Lord saith in his Ghospell He that shall call his brother foole shall be guilty of hell fire can any man be so blynd as not to see that Luther is the Apostle of Antichrist who not only on the Priests of God but also on the Prince of Priests the successour of S. Peter Christs Vicar on earth loadeth most vile and infamous names whom he doth rent and teare in peeces with such strange reproaches contumelyes and blasphemyes neuer heard of before which both a modest tongue will blush to rehearse and chast eares tremble to heare VVho also doth not cease with his impious and pestilent tongue to call the Apostolicall Sea the Chayre of Pestilence the Kingdome of Antichrist and of the Diuell loading other more horrible and nefandious names which he could iâ—uent on that sea in which the head of Apostles Peter sate so many holy Bishops ruled which the glorious Martyr Cyprian did not doubt to call the Principall Sea whence Priestly dignity flowed 4. This and much more writeth this Pope By which you may perceiue first what a lewd fellow and naughty hart Luther was vnto whom this Good man and honest hart was as opposite as heauen vnto earth Christ vnto Belial God vnto the Diuell Secondly how falsely this Bachelour did auouch that this Pop forgot himselfe and the honour of his Sea which cannot erre nor doe amisse as he like a foole confessed where besides the scurrility of his speach laying that title on so learned and worthy a Prelate which vnder payne of hell fire may not be giuen to the meanest Christian Besides this scoffe I say marke the fate shall I say or folly of this fellow whose luck is such that when he would seeme wise and censure others as fooles he still playeth the foole notoriously himself as now in saying that Pope Adrian did disgrace his Sea by confessing like a foole that the same could not erre nor doe amisse For is it a disgrace to a Bishop or to his Chayre that he cannot erre nor doe amisse How theÌ„ did the Pope disgrace his Chayre or play the foole in confessing that his Chayre could not erre But to leaue the Bachelours folly who by great chance stumbled on a truth against his will let vs take his meaning which was to tell a lye to wit that Pope Adrian did confesse his Sea could erre which other Popes and Catholicks deny which to be false is made cleare by the former words of the Pope in which he doth constantly mayntaine the dignity of his Sea against Luther as you haue heard 5. And suppose he had graunted that some Popes his Predecessors in that Sea had abused their authority had not liued so well as that great dignity did require had erred in matters of fact though in the very truth this Pope doth not say so much but only that some abuses were in the Court of Rome which are and euer will be more or lesse in all Courts in the world which he made promise to doe his best to reforme yet had the Pope graunted that some of his predecessors had done amisse did he therefore forget himself and the dignity of his Sea What Catholicke doth attribute this dignity to the Roman Sea that the Bishop thereof may not lead a bad life and in his deeds swarue from his doctrine Nay contrarywise we challenge this to be the dignity of his Sea and chayre that though the Bishop thereof be wicked and of ill life as he may be yet he can neuer teach nor define any false doctrine which is the priuiledge of the true Church the Pastour therof as S. (i) Ne duÌ„ boni putaÌ„t se maloruÌ„ permixtione culpari per humanas temerarias dissentiones aut paruulos perdant aut paruuli pereant vsque adeo caelestis Magister cauenduÌ„ praemonuit vt etiam de praepositis malis plebem securam faceret ne propter illos doctrinae salutaris Cathedra desereretur in qua
to rayle at vs for teaching the Pope to be God the Virgin Marie more then God and such stuffe 8. Against which manner of dealing I will set downe the saying of this learned Father intreating the Reader to marke the same which may serue him for an Antidote against and an Answere vnto all this kind of Sermons p In has huiusmodi nugas grauiter copioséque inuehi soletis c. Against these and such like toyes you make graue and large inuectiues which do no wayes concerne vs you speake only against old wiues tales and childish Babels In confutation of which the more earnest you are the more you shew your selues to want iudgmeÌ„t By which clamors whosoeuer is moued to turne vnto you he condemneth not the doctrine of our Church but sheweth himselfe ignorant therof Wherfore if you haue any thing of men left in you if you haue any care of your selues seeke diligently in what good and pious sense these things may be spoken For such a faith as belieueth of God absurd and inconuenient things we do more vehemently and plentifully accuse then you and when by any of our Church these things are vnderstood as the letter soundeth their ignorance we instruct their pertinacity we deride Thus S. Augustine 9. The third vse that may be made of this Answer is yet more generall and vniuersall and of greater importance and sequele at which I confesse I haue principally aymed to wit to shew that the English Ministry cannot be a true Church nor among them sauing truth be found which doth practise patronize both in pulpit and print most notorious lying and furious rayling For this to be a manifest and sensible signe of a false Church themselues doe graunt (q) Nos inuectio vestra non taÌ„git sed aniles quasdam vel pueriles etiam opiniones eò ineptiore quò vehementiore oratione peruellitis qua quisquis mouetur ad vos traÌ„sit non Ecclesiae nostrae daÌ„nat disciplinam sed eam se ignorare demoÌ„strat Quamobrem siquid humani corde geritis si curae vobis vosmetipsi estis quaerite potiùs diligenter pie quo modo ista dicantur Quaerite miseri nam talem fidem qua de Deo inconueniens a liquid creditur nos vehementiùs vberiùs accusamus Nam in illis quae dicta sunt cùm sic intelliguntur vt littera sonat simplicitatem corrigimus pertinaciam deridemus l. 1. de mor. Eccl. c. 10. (q) See the way to the true Church of M. VVhite in the Preface n. 12. which without shame they cannot deny seeing this sinne Nature doth so detest that no Nation though barbarous durst euer openly allow it a sinne most hatefull and abhominable (r) Prouerb 12. v. 22. vnto God most shamefull in the (Å¿) Seruile vitium nec in seruo quideÌ„ tolerabile Plutarch eye of the world in so much that the WisemaÌ„ saith (t) Eccl. c. 20. v. 27. potior est fur quà m assiduitas viri mendacis Better is familiarity with a theefe then with a lyar which sinne is euer the indiuiduall mate companion of heresy as Iob doth signify speaking to his friends that were the type of hereticks as (v) L. 11. moral c. 15. S. Gregory noteth I will shew you to be (x) Iob. 13. v. 4. coyners of lyes and maynteyners of false doctrine where you see lyars and hereticks shake hands Whom likewise the holy Ghost doth couple togeather in this sentence (y) Prouerb 14. v. 25. Loquitur mendacia versipellis Turne-coates such as change the first faith wherwith they were cloathed in Baptisme do vse to speake lyes and vntruths So that this is a blemish not in face and finger for such woundes M. Crashaw would not sticke to graunt (z) Pag. â—2 in the Church of England but such as doth eat vp the very hart of a Church to vse his owne phrase which cannot be thought Christian nor the Church of truth being treacherous and false seeking to delude the world with lyes 10. But you will say though I might proue that M. Crashaw is guilty of this cryme yet I should be vniust to lay his lying properly on the whole Church of England for his sake vrging the fault of one as the practise of all To this I answere that had M. Crashaw published this Sermon as a priuate iustification of himself his want of sincerity therein could not without some violence haue beene wrested vpon his Church though truly the permitting in print of so many and so palpable falsehoods might giue some cause to suspect that their Church did giue at least a tacite consent to such iniurious dealing But the case now standeth otherwise about this Sermon and in such termes that the Church of England cannot seuer her publick disgrace from his priuate shame For whereas Catholiks haue often complayned of Ministers iniurious dealing with them in pulpit to make them odious vnto the people by declayming slaunders against them but specially of M. Crashaw in this his SermoÌ„ at the Crosse which they thought so exorbitant as they gaue out as he himself (a) In his Epistle dedicatory to the Princes Highnes saith that he was called before authority for his immodest excesse in this kind which you shall see by the examination thereof they had great cause to thinke Whereas I say these complaynts were made and this expectation had that some signe of publick dislike would be giuen against such intemperate preaching M. Crashaw to shew that Authority did not mislike but allow his dealing did not condemne but patronize it after some moneths taken to thinke of the matter to view ouer his Sermon and perchance to leaue out some more notorious and shamefull vntruthes which he durst vtter in pulpit though not in print at last makes the same publick bringing his owne shame to light But to what end Heare it in his owne words in the Epistle dedicatory to the Princes Highnes Not so much to cleare my self sayth he as to honour the truth and to shew that it is no trick nor policy of our State as it is in Popery to set vp men with authority to rayle and licence to lye therby to make our enemyes odious Thus he And in his (b) This dedication was the first but his Lordship discarded the Sermon Epistle to the Lord Treasurer he addeth that he did publish his Sermon to honour truth but much more to iustify the State such desire doth this Minister shew to be rather a Statesman then a true man But if by the State he vnderstand those of his Maiesties most honorable Counsell he needeth not to iustify whom none accuse whom their owne Honour doth sufficiently cleere from any suspition of allowing such dishonourable dealing who cannot be stayned with these Ministeriall crymes seeing they commit the charge to see they bring not such foule thinges into pulpit vnto their Bishops and Prelates on whom this disgrace must lye